Daniel Simmons-Ritchie is an investigative data reporter for Spotlight PA.

Latest Stories
Government watchdog group apologizes for violating Pa. lobbying law
Spotlight PA

Government watchdog group apologizes for violating Pa. lobbying law

February 7
The head of Common Cause Pennsylvania, Micah Sims, accepted full responsibility for the error and the resulting $19,900 fine by the state Ethics Commission.
Champion of Pa. lobbying disclosure law was fined $19,900 for breaking it
Spotlight PA

Champion of Pa. lobbying disclosure law was fined $19,900 for breaking it

February 6
Common Cause Pennsylvania attributed the error to technical difficulties, but state officials disputed that claim.
The Pa. State Police was warned about possible racial bias in car searches. The agency’s answer? End the research.
Spotlight PA

The Pa. State Police was warned about possible racial bias in car searches. The agency’s answer? End the research.

January 23
Troopers were 2 to 3 times more likely to search black and Hispanic drivers. Officials are unsure if anything was done to address the problem.
Pa. State Police stopped tracking the race of drivers who get pulled over, making profiling hard to detect
Spotlight PA

Racial profiling in traffic stops? We won’t know, because Pa. State Police no longer track racial data.

September 20
A nationwide survey by Spotlight PA found the Pa. State Police is one of only 11 statewide law enforcement agencies not collecting race data during traffic stops. In response, State Police officials said they would reverse course and resume collection.